The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) released a new report recently that looks at the social housing crisis in the UK. It has figures to show how hard it is for people to find affordable, quality housing. In addition, it looks at the cost to local authorities when they can’t provide enough homes. Luckily, it does go on to give suggestions of how to improve the situation. Let’s have a closer look, then you can speak to us if you want to work with the best architects in London.

The figures

The Foundations for the Future report says there are presently 1.3 million households waiting for councils to provide them with housing. That is the highest it has been in a decade. Alarmingly, it continues to increase in a number of areas because house prices and private rents are high.

The lack of social housing puts big pressure on local councils. Most crucially, it means they pay a huge amount for temporary accommodation. RIBA’s report says that the cost from April 2022 to March 2023 was £1.24bn. That money invested in building housing could have created more than 20,000 homes.

How to tackle the issue?

RIBA’s proposal is to leverage public land to create more housing. This would provide a number of important benefits. Crucially, it would make the new homes more affordable because local authorities would not be purchasing the land. In fact, it could ensure that the only expense is the construction cost.

RIBA went on to say that experts are ready to help tackle the challenge head on. So, councils can look for architects in London or other locations to get support with building quality homes on various pieces of land.

Interestingly, RIBA says the model could be “almost self sustaining” if some homes on each development were sold on the open market. The councils could then reinvest that revenue for additional projects. It would be beneficial for the communities too, creating mix tenure neighbourhoods.

In the report RIBA also acknowledges that building more housing alone won’t be enough. In addition, there needs to be work to deliver more amenities and infrastructure. Crucially, will be the provision of more schools and public transport. However, architects can work to deliver well-designed places with great homes and vibrant communities.

The hope is RIBA’s Foundations for the Future report will lead to a shift in policy. They want the government to be more proactive instead of the current reactive approach. This would be better for addressing key issues like homelessness and the sustainability of housing. A move to the public sector leading the way in housing development could also support plans for wider urban regeneration and economic growth.

Working with experienced and creative architects in London

Coffey Architects is a RIBA chartered practice and works to deliver the highest standards with every single project. We can find solutions for all kinds of plots, including public sector land. With creative designs, we can turn even tricky sites into fantastic new developments. This can be housing, mixed use buildings, and more.

So, if you have a project in mind or want to see some of our work, get in touch or have a look at our website. We’d love the chance to help you bring your ideas to life.